Expandable push broom

ABSTRACT

A PUSH BROOM HAVING A BRISTLED CROSS-HEAD WITH A PAIR OF BRISTLED SLIDABLE SECTIONS MOVABLE ONE OUT EACH END TO FACILITATE VARYING THE LENGTH OF THE CROSS-HEAD WITHIN PREDETERMINED LIMITS AND CABLE MEANS DRIVEN BY ROTATION OF THE BROOM HANDLE TO IMPART EQUAL AND OPPOSITE MOVEMENTS SAID SECTIONS.

R. E. BUCHHOLTZ EXPANDABLE PUSH BROOM Feb. 23,1971

Filed June 20, 1969 Rmmimauchm I INVENTOR.

United States Patent C 3,564,638 EXPANDABLE PUSH BROOM Reinhardt E. Buchholtz, 3818 E. Bridgeport, Spokane, Wash. 99207 Filed June 20, 1969, Ser. No. 835,176 Int. Cl. A461) 7/02 U.S. Cl. 15201 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A push broom having a bristled cross-head with a pair of bristled slidable sections movable one out each end to facilitate varying the length of the cross-head within predetermined limits and cable means driven by rotation of the broom handle to impart equal and opposite movements to said sections.

My present invention is an improvement in brooms of the so-called push broom type which includes an angled handle to which a bristled cross-head is attached. In par ticular, my invention provides means for selectively varying the length of the cross-head and thus provide an expandable broom which may be selectively and quickly expanded or contracted during sweeping functions to facilitate and reduce the man hours required to accomplish a given janitorial service.

customarily, a janitor or custodian is forced to supply himself with a quantity of push brooms of varying fixed dimensions to enable him to adequately sweep the irregular sizes and shapes of floor space encountered in OfilCS and commercial businesses. For example, in a large accounting office one finds many desks, chairs and other fixed objects in varying degrees of proximity, which require relatively short broom heads, associated with larger expanses of waiting room area, comparatively large muchused isles and narrower less-used isles.

It will be apparent that the quantity of equipment required may be materially reduced by utilizing the invention constituting the subject-matter of this invention wherein the size of the broom head may be varied, for ex ample, from a 24 length up to say, a 60" length very quickly and easily without the use of tools, and thereby reduce the total investment required, and also materially reduce the time lost in the successive exchange of brooms.

It is therefore obvious that the principal object of my present invention lies in the provision of a conveniently operated expandable broom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a single push broom which will effectively function in the places requiring plural standard push brooms of varying sizes.

Yet another object is to provide an expandable broom head which may be varied in length by merely turning the handle.

A further object lies in the provision of movable sections which extend and contract from the ends of the head equally and oppositely to maintain a balanced resistance while pushing the broom.

A still further object of this invention is in providing a unique and inexpensive mechanism for actuating the sliding sections to change the broom-head length.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent and meaningful during the course of the following specification when considered in association with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is graphically illustrated. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should also be understood that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture without in any way departing from ice the spirit of the invention which is to be understood only in accordance with the appended claims. Furthermore, it is to be understood that while the invention is described in one particular association, it is not my intention to unnecessarily limit the applicability of the invention, but I desire to reserve to myself the claimed invention for every use of which it is now known or subsequently discovered to be susceptible.

Other advantages and features of this invention will become apparent from the more detailed description following.

The accompanying drawings disclose a preferred configuration in the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my improved pushbroom with its slidable sections, partially extended and one broken away for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section taken midway the length of the head; and

FIG. 3 is a line drawing showing the cable reeving.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 4 designates a conventional push broom handle to which is attached a bristled head 5 disposed axially at right angles to the axis of the handle 4 with the handle tilted or angled to permit the bristles '6 to rest upon the floor with the handle at a comfortable and convenient angle for manipulating the broom.

The head 5 is comprised of an elongated member or body 7 having spaced longitudinally parallel ways 88 separated by a depending wall or bead 9. The ways 88 open at least at one end or may open at both ends of head 5 as shown. Each way has a cross sectional configuration adapted to receive a complementary bristled section 10-10 and an irregularly shaped Way follower 1111. The way-followers 1111 are attached by passing bolts 1212 laterally through aligned bores and securing each with a complementary nut 1313; there being at least one bolt 1212 at each end and as many more as are found desirable spaced along the length of each section 10.

The head 5 has journaled adjacent to each end a pair of pulleys 14-14 each of which is disposed for rotation in a vertical plane about a lateral axis. The upper marginal edge of each pulley is presented very slightly spaced above the top face 15 of the body 7 while its lower marginal edge is presented into the way 8 immediately therebelow. The sections 1010 have grooves 16-16 complementary to the pulleys to facilitate movement of the sections 88 thereby.

Actuating cables 17 and 18 are connected to the sections 88 so as to eifect longitudinal movements of the sections equally and oppositely to vary the effective length of head 5 according to manual selection.

Cable 17 has one end attached to an end bolt 12 in the groove 16, extends along the way about the pulley 14 at the opposite end and back to the midpoint of the head 5 above the face '15. It is thence convolved about a drive drum or spool 20 and extends therefrom about the other pulley 14 associated with the same way and back the full length of the section 10 towhich it is attached to the bolt 12 opposed to the first-named bolt 12. Cable 18 is similarly reeved with respect to its respective pulleys 14, bolts 12 and spool 20 but is oppositely convolved about said spool. It is thus easily seen that as the spool 20 is rotated the sections 1010 will move longitudinally in the ways 88 equally and oppositely.

The spool 20 is slidably but non-rotatably carried by the inner or lower end splines 21 of handle 4 so that rotation of the handle will rotate the spool and effect expansion or contraction of the broom head 5 by moving the sections 10-10 as aforesaid.

An oblique cylindric frame 22 is attached to the face 15 of the body 7 and carries a sleeve bearing 23 by which handle 4 is rotatably and slidably supported. Within said bearing sleeve 23 the handle 4 has spaced annular grooves 2424 which provide for two longitudinal positions of handle 4 as dictated by the cooperating ball detent 25 biased by spring 26 into the grooves alternately. At its upper end the sleeve 23 is toothed or has fingers 27 which interdigitate with companion teeth or fingers 28 of collar 29 fixed to handles 4 as by rivet 30. When the fingers 28 and 27 are interlocked as shown in full line, handle 4 is locked against rotation. When handle 4 is pulled from the head to seat detent 25 in the other groove, the fingers are separated and the handle may rotate freely.

Rotational and rectilinear movements of the handle are guided at the lower end of handle 4 by means of a spindle 31 carried by a base 32 secured to the face 15 with the spindle telescopically and reciprocally disposed in an axial bore in the inner end of the handle 4.

A decorative and protective cover plate 33 covers the major portion of face 15.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In an expandable push broom having a bristled head carried by an angularly disposed handle, the improvement, comprising:

complementary bristled sections secured to said head for longitudinal reciprocal movements with respect to said head; and

means for effecting said movements according to manual selection, whereby to selectively vary the effective length of said head.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein:

means are provided for limiting the movements of said sections to be equal and opposite.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein:

the means for effecting said movements, comprises:

means interconnecting said sections and said handle to impact said reciprocal movements from axial rotation of said handle relative to said head.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein:

said head has a pair of longitudinal ways;

each said section being slidable longitudinally in one said way; i

said handle being journaled for rotation with respect to said head; and

means interconnecting said handle and said sections to impart equal and opposite longitudinal movements to said sections from rotation of said handle.

5. The invention according to claim 4 wherein:

said last-named means comprises:

a pair of cables having their midsections convolved about a spool fixed for rotation with said handle; and

the opposed end sections of each cable extending in opposite longitudinal directions from said spool and being secured at points spaced longi- 4 tudinally to one said section towithdraw said sections in equal and opposite directions during rotation of said spool. 6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein: means are provided to selectively secure and release said handle with respect to rotation. 7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein: said last-named means, comprises:

a sleeve encircling said handle and fixed with respect to said handle; a collar secured to said handle; said sleeve and collar having complementary interdigitating teeth for releasably securing the sleeve and collar against relative rotation; and means effective to permit manual separation of said teeth to facilitate relative rotation of said sleeve and collar. 8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein: said last-named means, comprises:

a biased ball detent carried. by said sleeve; said handle having spaced circumferential grooves adapted to alternately receive said detent and yieldably hold said handle from free movement longitudinally of its axis; and said detent being arranged to mate with one said groove when said teeth are interdigitating and with the other groove when said teeth are separated. 9. The invention according to claim 8 and further characterized by:

pulleys journaled on said head one at each end of said way with upper and lower horizontal planes tangent to the pulleys disposed respectively above the head and into the way; and said cable end sections each extending from said spool about one said pulley common to the way of its opposed end section and thence secured with respect to the opposite end of its respective complementary bristled section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,240,860 9/1917 Levy 15165 2,746,070 5/1956 Parker 151 19 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,910 11/1882 Germany 15-201 11,880 7/1889 Great Britain 15201 168,658 6/1920 Great Britain 15201 PETER FELDMAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 15-144, 172 

